NEW YORK, May 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Gay/Lesbian Consumer Online
Census (G/L Census), an annual survey of the demographics, lifestyles and
media patterns of approximately 8,000 gay and lesbian consumers, released a
study which highlights leading brands for gay consumers in several categories,
such as travel, media, automotive and computers.
The analysis found that quality is a key factor in gay/lesbian consumer
brand decisions. "Across the board, brands known for quality tend to be
favored by gay and lesbian consumers," said Jeff Garber, President, OpusComm
Group, a G/L Census partner. "From Dell computers to Toyota vehicles, gay
consumers favor brands recognized for value and excellence."
In the media category, several premium cable television networks are
popular among gay/lesbian consumers. HBO and Showtime appear in the top five
cable networks, and Showtime's program "Queer as Folk" is among the top five
television shows. Mainstream television shows with gay themes, such as NBC's
"Will & Grace," are also popular among gay/lesbian consumers.
"While it is no surprise that gay-themed programming is important to
gay/lesbian consumers, it is interesting to note that several of their
television preferences require access to premium cable services," said Mr.
Garber. "The gay marketplace presents desirable demographics that marketers
can tap into via niche programming available on premium cable networks."
Gay/lesbian consumers are avid travelers and American Airlines is their
airline of choice. Top domestic destinations include New York City and San
Francisco, whereas Canada and Russia are popular for international travel.
With approximately 8,000 respondents, the 2005 Gay/Lesbian Consumer Online
Census is the largest and most comprehensive gay/lesbian consumer and media
study and the only one sponsored by a major university. The G/L Census is
conducted by G/L Census Partners (OpusComm Group and S.I. Newhouse School of
Public Communications at Syracuse University), and is exclusively available
through Scarborough Research.
BEST BRANDS FOR GAY CONSUMERS 2005

SOURCE: Gay/Lesbian Consumer Online Census
Top Television Programs
1. Will & Grace
2. Queer as Folk
3. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
4. Six Feet Under
5. Law & Order
Top Cable Networks
1. Bravo
2. A&E
3. HBO
4. Showtime
5. Comedy Central
Top Gay-Themed Magazines Titles (Men)
1. The Advocate
2. Out
3. Instinct
Top Gay-Themed Magazine Titles (Women)
1. The Advocate
2. Curve/Girlfriend (tied)
3. Out
Top General Market Magazines
1. Newsweek
2. Entertainment Weekly
3. Time
4. Men's Health
5. Consumer Reports
Top Auto Manufacturers Gay/Lesbian Consumers
"Consider for Future Purchase"
1. Toyota
2. Honda
3. Volkswagen
4. Ford
5. BMW
Top Computer Brands
1. Dell
2. Hewlett Packard
3. Compaq
4. Gateway
5. Apple
Top Internet Websites (Men)
1. Google
2. Yahoo!
3. Gay.com
4. Hotmail.com
5. Amazon.com
Top Internet Websites (Women)
1. Google
2. Yahoo!
3. Amazon.com
4. eBay.com
5. Planetout.com
Top Airlines
1. American Airlines
2. Delta Airlines
3. United Airlines
4. Southwest Airlines
5. US Airways
Top Domestic Travel Destinations
1. New York City
2. Any California Destination
3. San Francisco
4. Any Florida Destination
Top International Travel Destinations
1. Canada
2. Russia
3. Mexico
4. Caribbean
Top Cruise Lines
1. Carnival
2. Royal Caribbean Cruises
3. Norwegian Cruise Lines
4. Princess Cruise Lines
5. Holland America Cruise Lines
* The information in this report is from an online survey of approximately
8,000 gay/lesbian consumers. Survey field dates were July-August, 2004.
Respondents were recruited using a variety of awareness-raising methods both
online and offline, utilizing gay and mainstream media. The 45-minute survey
was conducted online for reasons of anonymity, sensitivity, ease of use, and
to create in-depth profiles. It was conducted by professional researchers
adhering to industry-accepted privacy guidelines.
About Scarborough Research
Scarborough Research is the leader in identifying local, regional and
national shopping patterns and media usage for the American consumer. With a
sample size of over 200,000 adults nationally covering 75 local U.S. markets
and countless categories and brands, Scarborough data is a valuable tool for
marketers and media professionals in their quest to achieve optimum marketing
and sales ROI. Scarborough Research is a joint venture between Arbitron Inc.
and VNU Media Measurement & Information. For additional information, please
log on to http://www.scarborough.com.
About OpusComm Group
OpusComm Group Inc., the founder of the annual Gay/Lesbian Consumer Online
Census, is led by co-principals, Jeffrey Garber and Daniel Fedrizzi, who have
been providing effective marketing, public relations and advertising to
Fortune 1000 marketers for almost 20 years. As one of the world's leading
researchers in gay/lesbian consumerism, OpusComm provides consulting services
and market plan development for businesses seeking to target the gay/lesbian
community in the mainstream media. For more information please log on to
http://www.opuscommgroup.com.
About the Gay/Lesbian Consumer Online Census
The Gay/Lesbian Consumer Online Census (G/L Census) is conducted annually
via a partnership between OpusComm Group, Inc. and the S.I. Newhouse School of
Public Communications at Syracuse University. Professor Amy Falkner is the
lead researcher on the project. With approximately 8,000 respondents, the G/L
Census is the largest and most comprehensive gay/lesbian consumer and media
study and the only one sponsored by a major university. It addresses many
consumer categories including demographics, purchasing behaviors, lifestyles
and media usage. For more information please log on to
http://www.glcensus.org.